


The Forgotten Future

by ParvumAutomaton



Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Bart's timeline, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-04 20:12:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1791742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ParvumAutomaton/pseuds/ParvumAutomaton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The year is 2046 and the world has fallen under the Reach Apocalypse. Despite it all Meloni Thawne still tries to do the best for her young son. And despite the fact that this might be the Earth's darkest hour, hope and heroes still exist.</p><p>Edited on October 23 2017</p><p>Special thanks to Windona for beta reading and for the headcanon that inspired the changes implemented.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Forgotten Future

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to tumblr user Windona for beta reading.
> 
>  
> 
> Edited on October 23 2017 to incorporate awesome headcanon of Windona

**2046**

Meloni Thawne held her young son’s hand. It felt too small and fragile but she held it tight as they hurriedly made their way downtown.

The weather was good, comparatively. The ash from Neutron’s recently ended reign of destruction was surprisingly light. And she could almost imagine sunlight and clouds above the ever present smog.

But no one else on the street seemed to notice. They simply went about their lives. Don used to say, humans were strong, they were adaptable and they could get over anything.

That’s what Meloni wished was happening here. But instead she knew it was something much more insidious.

With each passing year the amount of hours that each person worked went up without any complaint. But it was never to fix the planet, instead it was just to grow Reach food, build Reach ships, and fight in Reach wars. The ones working would argue that it was just to show their thanks to the Reach, for saving them from Neutron, the Warworld, or the Apokoliptian invasion. Or to pay them back for their bountiful food that meant no one on the planet ever went without.

At least, not as long as they worked. 

Meloni knew about the poisoned food. She knew that it made people suggestible, that it allowed the Reach control over every aspect of human life. They could close down age old universities, like the one she attended, overnight and without argument. They could make working for them feel like the most fulfilling thing imaginable.

When Don first told her this, when she was much younger, it had seemed impossible. Her mind refused to accept the possibility. At least until Don had brought her here. A small dilapidated shop front which was the only one still occupied in that strip, and inside, housed a meticulously cleaned and cared for family practice.

Meloni quickly pushed the door open and ushered her little Bart inside, before securely closing the door behind them.

The entrance room was only empty for a moment before a black woman with short hair graying around the temples and wearing a lab coat entered the room. She eyed Meloni critically before asking, “Who are you?”

“Meloni Thawne,” she answered nervously, and gestured down to her son, “we’re here to see the doctor.”

The woman continued to look at her before she knelt down in front of Bart. Meloni could feel her taking in the child’s gaunt face and bones that stuck out just a little too far.

“Ok,” she finally said, slowly standing, “wait just through those doors.”

Meloni started to walk but the woman’s voice stopped her.

“One last question, are you vaccinated?”

“Yes,” Meloni answered seriously, “Almost thirteen years ago, at this clinic.”

“Ok, he’ll be in to see you in a moment.”

Meloni nodded and led Bart through the indicated doors. Inside was a meticulously clean room. The walls were painted to look like green grass and blue skies with puffy white clouds. Every surface was covered surrounding them; even the light on the ceiling was painted to mimic the sun. Cabinets and a sink lined one wall and two plush chairs were along the other, while in the center there was a low set examining table.

She gently helped Bart up onto the table and then sat on the edge of one of the chairs. She managed to smile reassuringly at Bart, but her posture was still crouched and tense which was what he mimicked. Fortunately they didn’t have to wait long before the doctor rolled in.

He was just like she remembered him, a smiling Latino man with graying curtained hair and a salt and pepper goatee. He wore a bright white lab coat with ‘Dr. Reyes’ embroidered on the upper left. His legs were covered in a bright blue blanket. On anyone else that color would feel scary, being so close to the color of the Blue Beetle’s armor, but on Dr. Reyes it just seemed natural. And even more impressive was that it didn’t seem to clash at with the electric blue paint on his wheelchair.

He gave her a slight nod before making his way over to Bart. Bart didn’t look up. He just kept his hands firmly clasped before him and his shoulders hunched.

“Heya kiddo,” he said lightly.

Bart responded by looking away.

“It’s alright to be shy,” he said gently, and Meloni realized it wasn't just directed at Bart, “that’s why I’ve brought this.”

From a pouch connected to the armrest of his chair he pulled out a bag full of thin tubes filled with an amber liquid. He pulled one of the tubes out and handed it to Bart, who looked right at his mom.

Despite her trepidation, just one of those wouldn't have too much of the Reach’s drug, and it was important that Bart trusted Dr. Reyes. So she nodded at her son and he quickly grabbed the treat.

“Have you ever had one before?”

Bart shook his head no.

Dr. Reyes smiled, “Ok, just pinch the top.”

Bart followed his instructions deftly and after just a taste he was grinning.

“You like that?”

“Yeah,” Bart said quietly, and Dr. Reyes smiled.

“Alright then, I’m just going to talk to your mom while you finish that.”

Bart nodded and went right back to trying to figure out the best way of getting everything out of the plastic straw.

Dr. Reyes then turned so that he could easily see both Meloni and Bart.

“So what brings you to in today?” He asked lightly.

Meloni glanced at the closed door and then back to him before speaking sharply, “he needs  _ that  _ vaccine.”

The doctor looked back at Bart. And Meloni could feel him judging exactly how thin the boy was. After a second he asked.

“How old is he?”

“Five,” Meloni lied quickly.

But Bart, as always was faster than her, proudly held up three fingers.

“ Three is  _ way  _ too young,” Dr. Reyes said severely turning so that Meloni got the full force of his disapproving look.

“You don’t understand,” She tried to argue, but he cut her off.

“Ms. Thawne, yes I do,” He said firmly, running his hand through his hair, “this ‘vaccine’ is very hard on the body. And frankly, at his age and weight, his chance of survival is not good.”

He then moved forward and gently laid his hand on hers, “I know you’re scared, but come back in two years. I promise, at current concentrations it takes about ten years of exposure to the Reach drugs before it starts getting to a point where my drug can’t overcome the effects.”

Meloni could feel her hopelessness building as she rapidly blinked her eyes and begged, “Please, we don’t have the luxury of time. We...”

The gust of wind she felt stopped her mid sentence. And she looked up to see Bart with Dr. Reyes’s treat bag between his legs and five of the tubes in his mouth.

“Bart no,” she breathed.

However Dr. Reyes didn’t look concerned. Instead he had a wistful smile when he said, “reminds me of Wally.”

“You knew Wally?” Meloni questioned sharply.

“Only for a very short time,” he answered with a light laugh, “but if you’ve seen him eat once you never forget.”

“Don was the same way, and Bart should be too. But it’s,” Meloni had to swallow to hide her cracking voice, “it’s the amount not exposure time that really matters.”

Dr. Reyes paled, and he turned to Bart commanding, “stop eating.”

It broke Meloni’s heart when Bart instantly obeyed, even though his stomach was growling.

“See,” she accused, “and those whatevers are just making it worse.”

“Honey straws, they are honey straws. I like honey because if stored properly it can be older than I am and not go bad. Ma’am I am not going to poison a child within my walls,” He answered sternly, before turning to Bart and saying, “you can finish the bag if you want to.”

Bart grinned and continued to eat. Meloni however looked into her lap and clenched her fists so hard that her nails bit into her palms.

“I feel horrible,” she whispered, not looking to see if anyone was listening, “I either starve him or poison him.”

Dr. Reyes was by her side with his hand on her shoulder. “Bart, short for Bartholomew I take it?”

“Yes, Bartholomew Henry Allen,” Meloni whispered, “we named him after his grandfather.”

“And along with his grandfather’s name and incredible speed, does he also have his grandfather’s incredible healing ability?” He asked.

“I don’t know.”

Dr. Reyes nodded and moved to the cabinets on the other side of the room. He grabbed a small sterile needle along with an alcohol pad and some disposable gloves moving back to Bart. With practiced ease he put the gloves on.

“I’m going to need you to hold real still,” he said gently to Bart, “this will only prick for a second.”

After Bart nodded, he ran the alcohol pad over a small section of Bart’s upper arm. He then pricked him with the needle, and by the time he had cleaned the blood off, Bart’s arm had already healed.

He disposed of the needle and gloves, and then patted Bart on the top of his head.

“You did good,” he said before putting on a confused face and pulling out another handful of honey sticks from behind Bart’s ear. “Now where did these come from?”

“You,” Bart replied knowingly, grabbing the treats out of the doctor’s hand.

“Me?” He replied, dramatically bringing his hands to his chest, “no I think you had them all stuck in your hair.”

Bart laughed, “No, that’s silly.”

“Silly Me?” He said pulling a funny face, “I’m not silly.”

Bart laughed even more, and went back to his sweets. Dr. Reyes ruffled his hair and then moved back to Meloni.

“ He does have it. And that might,  _ might  _ , give us the edge we need for him to survive the vaccine.” He told her honestly, “but it’s still a big maybe.”

“And if we don’t,” she pushed the doctor.

He looked away and frowned, “If he doesn’t get this drug before the Reach poison reaches a ‘critical point’, I don’t know of anything that could get him back.”

“How much longer till then?”

“At the rate a speedster eats, not long” He said softly rubbing his head and not making eye contact, “I don’t like either of our options. But as his mother it has to be your choice.”

Meloni rubbed her eyes and sighed before speaking softly, “my baby deserves the chance at a real life, a free life. And to be stuck forever under Reach control. I can’t allow that to happen to him.”

“Alright,” he said taking a deep breath, “I’ll be right back.”

Meloni moved from her waiting room chair to sit on the examining table behind Bart. He was still happily enjoying the last of Dr. Reyes’s treats. But he didn’t object when she pulled him onto her lap and hugged him close to her. She hated making Bart worry by crying in front of him, but couldn’t really hold back her shuddering breaths any longer as she kissed the top of his head.

After what felt like forever she heard voice of the woman from earlier right outside the door.

“He’ll be ok Jaime.” she said “I knew Wally and Barry better than you. They were strong, quintessentially free, and committed to doing the right thing no matter what. Kinda like you bug boy. Besides, you, me, and Ms. Thawne in there, we all know what will happen if the Reach get a Flash.”

She then pushed Dr. Reyes in through the door, and pulled an IV line behind her.

“Karen Beecher,” she stated, holding out a hand towards Meloni.

“Doctor Karen Beecher,” Jaime called lightly from the cabinets where he was pulling out equipment.

“Yeah, of chemistry,” Karen said, walking over to lightly swat at the back of his head, “you are the only M.D. here.”

His smiled faded, and when he spoke again his voice was tense, “I know.”

Karen lost her grin as well, opting instead to squeeze his shoulder.

There was a tense silence before Dr. Reyes moved forward and held Bart’s hand, “Hey kiddo, there’s just going to be a little stick on your hand. Alright? Just a little pinch and...”

With practiced ease he taped the IV line into place before finishing with a happy, “all done.”

Meloni bit her lip, and when she caught his eye she hesitated.

“Do I need to...”

He shook his head, “Stay. Karen get me a dose of the vaccine, please?”

She nodded and opened one of the cabinets revealing a built in refrigeration unit. She took out one of the many vials in it and shut the door. She then drew the contents of the vial into a syringe and handed it to Dr. Reyes.

Meloni held Bart close to her chest and whispered, “you’re my big strong hero.”

“Me?” he asked craning his neck backwards to look at her.

“Yeah you.” she answered pinching his cheek and doing her best to keep her voice steady, “Your dad was a hero, your grandfather was one too. So was your Aunt Dawn, and your cousin Wally. You are my little legacy, And you are going to be the strongest, fastest, bravest, and kindest hero ever.”

“Really?”

“Really,” she answered not caring about the tears that ran down her cheeks.

She felt Karen squeeze her shoulders comfortingly, as Jaime met her son’s eyes.

“Alright Bart, Just one more shot and we’re done, ok? This one might make you feel uncomfortable after...but say what’s your favorite food?”

“Mom’s sauce noodles,” he said happily

“Spaghetti,” Meloni corrected softly, “and when we get home I’m gonna make all the spaghetti you can eat.”

Bart’s eyes lit up at that statement. And neither of them noticed that Bart had gotten the shot until Dr. Reyes pulled out the needle and massaged Bart’s arm around the injection site.

“You did good,” he said, his voice even, “you did good.”

Bart smiled back at him, and Meloni hoped that they had overestimated the potential effect. But that hope did not last long.

As she was holding him she could feel his ever present need for movement drain away. His little body began to heat up and she could feel his breathing became shallow. Every once in awhile he would give a pained whine, but for the most part he was eerily quiet.

Time didn’t seem to have any meaning, and the hours passed in a haze. Meloni vaguely noticed Dr. Reyes moving around them. Keeping a cool cloth on Bart’s head, checking his pulse and adjusting the IV drip.

But to her nothing mattered until she heard Dr. Reyes take a deep breath and speak to Dr. Beecher.

“He’s stabilized, go get some rest for tomorrow.”

Dr. Beecher nodded at him and left the room, turning the lights down as she left.

Meloni kept her hold on Bart. The rest of the night passed slowly. But each strong breath from Bart made her relax a little more.

She didn’t know exactly when she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

But she woke up when Karen slipped through the door and handed Jaime a cup of coffee the next morning. He took a sip of the coffee and when he saw Meloni’s eyes open, he moved to her side.

“You made the right call, he’s going to be okay.”

At the sound of voices, Bart’s eyes fluttered open. Dr. Reyes immediately redirected his attention.

“Hey hero,” he said lightly, “how are you feeling?”

“Hungry.”

Jaime smiled and Karen nodded, slipping out of the room again. Gently he undid the tape on Bart’s hand and disconnected the IV.

Karen came back a few minutes later carrying a big tray full of simple buttered toast and juice. Bart lit up when he saw it and immediately dug in, prior unease all but forgotten.

As he ate, Jaime left their side and moved over to Karen.

“I thought you were planning to be on the road by now?”

She snorted, “I had to make sure you were alright. You can be a little bit of a workaholic.”

“I’m not as bad as you,” Jaime laughed before sobering. “but Karen you know we can’t all be in the same place for too long, there are too few of us as it is.”

“I know,” she said, “and I promise I’ll be on the road once you get in bed.”

“Alright,” he sighed.

Karen knelt down and transferred half of the vials in the refrigerator to a cooler, “After I drop these off at Lian’s clinic I’ll see how Gar’s doing with the new production center.”

Jaime nodded, “just stay safe, ok?”

“Boy,” she said standing back up, “I am the master of stealth.”

“Boy?”

“I am older than you.” She replied grinning.

He returned that sly grin and asked, “so what does that make me, 20?”

Karen swatted lightly at his head, shooing him out of the room. She followed behind him, grabbing the now empty food tray. She was gone for several minutes before returning with a duffel bag and backpack. She put the cooler in the duffel bag and hoisted it to her shoulders.

“Come on, we should all leave now.”

Meloni nodded in response. Slowly getting to her feet and then lifting Bart to her hip. She followed Karen out the front door, moving aside so that Karen could lock it.

Karen didn’t, and at Meloni’s confused look she simply stated.

“It’d piss Dr. Reyes’s off. Anyone free enough to want to break into places knows that the only reason they are free is because of him. And it’s not like a locked door would stop the Reach anyway. So the only people it would keep out would be those that needed his help.”

***

“Mom, I’m done can I go?” Bart whined from his place at their plastic table.

The Reach provided housing, furniture, food, and a single television to all of their workers. The minimals to keep their workers in top condition. Not because they cared, but because a hungry, tired, or bored worker was not nearly as efficient at farming their food and mass producing their spaceships.

“It’s ‘be excused’,” Meloni corrected, “and first, what do you do when you encounter a Reach agent?”

Bart put on a well rehearsed smile, “Play a character, obey with a smile.”

“And?”

The face Bart made looked far too serious for a three and a half year old, “and never stop fighting them.”

“That’s my hero. You’re excused, but remember no running in the house.”

However that command had come too late and Bart had already blurred out of the room.

Meloni moved the dishes into the sink. She had begun to run hot water to wash them when Bart ran back into the room and clung to her leg.

“TV won’t turn off,” he said.

She turned off the water and went into what passed for their living room and Bart’s bedroom. The television was on, but it wasn't playing a program. Instead it was a live stream of the front of Dr. Reyes’s clinic. That instant she knew that there was no way she would be able to turn the Reach TV off. That this was going to be something that they wanted each and every one of their subjects to see.

She swallowed and squeezed Bart’s shoulder.

“Baby, why don’t you go to my room. Shut the door tight, and cover your ears.”

He moved but she didn’t follow.

“Are you gonna come too?” He asked, hesitating at the door.

“No baby I can’t, but I’ll be right here ok?”

Bart nodded once and she turned back to the screen. Jaime Reyes deserved more than to be some reality TV bloodsport to Reach mind-slaves. He deserved someone who would care and cry at his passing. And a more cynical part of her mind knew that she also had to watch to find out how much danger she and Bart were going to be in.

And even though she knew what was coming, she still jumped when the giant Blue Beetle landed in front of the clinic. The monster waited no time before blasting apart half of the clinic.

“Come on out doctor,” He shouted snidely, “you can’t run.”

The silence stretched, and Meloni prayed that Dr. Reyes had slipped out of the back. But instead he deliberately wheeled himself out of the front door of the clinic.

“I know I can’t,” He said with amusement not defeat coloring his voice, “but you know most people are polite enough not to point it out.”

Blue Beetle cocked his head in confusion before he angrily growled out, “what?”

Jaime didn’t respond to the anger. Instead he just laughed. Not a scared or nervous laugh, but a lighthearted chuckle. He then looked at the destruction around him and squared his shoulders. He moved up to the Blue Beetle purposefully.

“So what  _ exactly  _ are you doing here, other than destroying my property?” He asked firmly.

That seemed to throw Blue Beetle off balance, as he took a step back and growled defensively at Jaime.

“I’m not destroying  _ your  _ property Meat, everything on the planet belongs to the Reach.”

“Fine,” Jaime responded, not missing a beat, “why are you destroying Reach property?”

Never before had Meloni seen Blue Beetle sputter. His anger and confusion was one of the most encouraging things that she had ever seen. But it didn’t last long.

“We know all about how you are spoiling the meat,” Beetle growled, “and we are going to make you stop.”

Meloni was able to catch Dr. Reyes’s flinch. But it also passed quickly.

“I’m sorry,” He said sarcastically, “I thought the Reach didn’t want us dying of measles and whooping cough. That does quite a number on their workforce.”

“Not as much as your drugs that make the meat rebel,” Blue Beetle growled.

He reached forward roughly and grabbed Jaime by the throat. Hoisting him into the air until their eyes were only inches apart.

“Tell me where all those drugs are,” Blue Beetle shouted into his face, “and I’ll make sure your death is quick.”

“No,” Jaime answered firmly, looking the Beetle straight in the eye.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” Blue Beetle sneered, “this way is more fun.”

With his free hand he grabbed one of Jaime’s legs. He squeezed it at the knee until a sickening pop rang out. Meloni winched in sympathy when Beetle let go of the leg, letting it hang twisted and mangled.

Jaime didn’t flinch. He just raised an eyebrow.

“I can’t believe you thought that would work,” he said, almost laughing.

Beetle growled again and flung Jaime into the ground. He immediately jumped after, landing a sickening kick on Jaime’s chest.

That time Jaime didn’t have a comeback. He just laid in the dirt coughing up blood.

Blue Beetle transformed one of his arms into a giant wickedly curved blade. But he never swung it. Instead he was stopped by something, or someone off camera.

The Reach Ambassador strode into view, calmly unconcerned about the destruction around him.

“Infiltrator,” He said, his voice colored with annoyance, “Need I remind you that we cannot get information from the meat once it’s dead.”

Blue Beetle’s blade transformed back into an arm and he simply said, “Apologies.”

The Ambassador didn’t bother giving Blue Beetle a response. Instead he knelt down in front of Jaime.

“Now now,” he said softly, as if he actually cared, “just tell me what I need to know, and I promise I can make this all stop.”

Jaime screwed his eyes shut and coughed again. Then Meloni saw his lips move, as if he was trying to talk.

“What was that?” The Ambassador asked leaning closer, “you need to speak up.”

Jaime pushed himself up so that he was eye to eye with the Ambassador.

“I said, Rot in Hell, Reach Scum.”

The Ambassador backhanded him, sending Jaime back into the dirt. He then looked at Blue Beetle and nodded.

The Beetle grabbed Jaime with one massive hand, wrapping around his back. To Meloni it looked as if the placement of fingers were some horrible approximation of the scarab that Blue Beetle wore.

Again he hoisted the man into the air, and Jaime’s limbs twitched with electricity. However, Jaime’s face was calm and his eyes were closed. The slight smile forming on his lips made it look like he was just having a pleasant dream.

It was only after the shocks abated and the twitching stopped that Meloni noticed that Jaime was crying.

“Well?” The Reach Ambassador asked impatiently.

“I just saw my little sister,” Jaime spoke, he was glaring at the Ambassador through his tears, “and she says that I’m gonna staple your ass to a wall and kick you the hell off of my planet.”

The Ambassador simply laughed at the threat, “what you saw, Meat, was nothing more than a hallucination of a dead girl. It was from my Infiltrator tearing through your mind to find the locations of all your annoying medicines.”

For the first time, Jaime dropped his head and looked away. But the Ambassador didn’t notice. He was paying far more attention to the Blue Beetle.

“There are none,” the Blue Beetle said.

“What?”

Blue Beetle dropped Jaime, who landed limply at his feet. He didn’t pay the human any mind as he spoke.

“Apparently this Meat worried that if we ever found a batch we could update our crops to render his formula ineffectual. So he only ever made one at a time and never shared with anyone how to make it.”

The Ambassador laughed, “perfect.”

He didn’t notice Jaime’s eyes going wide. He didn’t notice Jaime’s relieved smile.

“ _ Hermano,  _ ” he said softly, turning towards the Blue beetle, “  _ gracias de todo corazón.  _ ”

Blue Beetle looked down at him, disgust showing on his face, “did he have a brother too? Or did we just break him?”

The Ambassador shrugged as he walked away, “I don’t keep up with the meat. So just get rid of it. And in a way that any spoiled meat will know better than to fight us.”

“Acknowledged,” Blue Beetle stated, a wide wicked grin forming on his face.

And once the Ambassador was off screen, the Blue Beetle wrapped his massive hand around Jaime neck and lifted him into the air. Jaime didn’t struggle. He didn’t glare. And he didn’t give any witty comebacks.

Instead he laid a gentle hand on Blue Beetle’s arm. He spoke softly, in the same tone he had used with Bart.

“It’s okay,” he said fighting back tears, “It’s going to be okay.”

Blue Beetle didn’t respond. Rather he formed his other arm into a blade and drove it deep Jaime’s chest and arm.

Jaime just kept talking.

“This isn’t your fault. You did good. You did so good  _ hermano.  _ ”

Blood dribbled out of the corner of Jaime’s mouth. His eyes shone with unspilled tears, and he didn’t look at Blue Beetle’s face, but rather over his shoulder at the scarab on Blue Beetle’s back.

“And I am sorry, so sorry that this has to be goodbye.”

With that he closed his eyes and smiled even as tears ran down his cheeks. Then he fell limp in Beetle’s hand. And Meloni knew it was over.

It took longer for Blue Beetle to get the memo. And he continued to mutilate the corpse while shouting at it to beg or scream.

Meloni left the room, tears streaming down her face. She slipped into her bedroom and found Bart coloring. Perfectly reproducing the painted sun from Jaime’s clinic.

She grabbed him, enveloping him in a hug and crying into his hair. He enthusiastically returned the gesture. Burying himself into her as she rocked back and forth humming an old nursery rhyme.

As she rocked Bart, the pain at seeing another good person die at the hands of the Reach faded. Only to be replaced by fear. What if he kept notes. What if she had left something there. Had someone seen her go and recognized them. How long would they be safe here.

She let go of Bart, packing essentials in a well used backpack. It didn’t take her long.

“Can you wait here for one more second?” she asked Bart.

And when he nodded, she grabbed the duvet off of her bed and carried it into the living room. The TV was still on and still showing a live feed. She could see that the clinic had been reduced to rubble. And she also could see the body. And she knew that the Reach were just going to leave it there. To rot on the street, and the poisoned populace, those that he couldn’t get to in time,would just step over it as if it had no more importance than a fallen branch.

So she covered the the screen with the duvet. And she wished someone could do something more for the burial. Even though she knew that if anyone did the Reach would be on them like flies on a... instantly. The Reach would be on them instantly.

She stepped into Bart’s room, she carefully gathered up every one of his drawings. Exact replicas of things he had seen, from her own papers to, more worryingly, exact replicas of the sun painting on the clinic ceiling. 

She burned them all.

When only ashes remained, Bart peaked his head out of her room, and she waved him over. She grabbed him by the hand and they walked out of the door. Dirty dishes still sitting unattended in the sink, as they left their home for good.

***

It took Meloni longer than she expected to reach Blüdhaven. In retrospect she should not have been surprised by the increased Reach patrols. They were obviously counting on the public execution of Dr. Reyes to drive his vaccinated patients out of hiding. Still it was more of an inconvenience than a problem. She just made sure to only move during shift changes and hide in an empty worker apartment during normal shifts. Since efficiency demanded that factories were always manned and workers were always provided with food, it was easy to find empty apartments with ample food no matter what time of day or night it was.

But now she stood in front of a nondescript warehouse. It looked identical to all the other warehouses near the docks of Blüdhaven, but if here memory was correct this was the ware-‘home’ that Don had pointed out a lifetime ago. Multiple lifetimes ago. So much had changed since then, she only hoped that the safety of this place was not one of them. 

Before she even had a chance to knock the door swung open. Her first thought was that Bart had snuck into the warehouse, like he had done to so many apartments and opened the door. But that was quickly dismissed when she saw a boy in his late teens, early twenties at most, standing there. His skin was pallid, and the way that it sat, Meloni believed that she could still see the hints of long atrophied muscles. His eyes were sunk in, but he had a presence about himself. A force of will that Meloni didn’t dare challenge. 

At least for as long as the patience of a child speedster held.

Bart ran to explore the now open warehouse. Meloni moved to intercept. Her lips already forming the first words of her well practiced plea to the Reach. But the Teenage boy only smiled. Not the too chipper grin of those who were moded nor the fake, superior, grins of Reach agents, but a smile. A real smile full of nostalgia and hope.

“Bart?” He asked.

She nodded.

“Meloni?”

She nodded again. 

He extended his hand and she took it. He led her inside, and resecured the warehouse door. 

“Conner,” he introduced himself, “Conner Kent. Don told me about you two before he...”

Conner drifted off, not finishing the sentence. But Meloni knew. Before he died. Just like every other hero in this world, whether they wore spandex or a doctor’s coat. She couldn’t linger on that. 

“Superboy? I thought you’d be older?”

Conner gave a short laugh, “I’m in my 50’s or 30’s depending on how you count.”

“You age well.”

“So I’ve been told.”

He smiled. But it was only for a moment. With his next breath he was frowning, his brow furrowed.

“I sent Sphere out with my supplies just before...” he trailed off. Shook his head, and gave a sigh. Then he continued, talking more to himself than Meloni. 

“Maybe I can get Armistad to make a delivery tonight...”

“No,” Meloni cut him off, remembering all the patrols she had seen, “it’s too risky to be moving now.”

“Mrs. Allen,” Conner started.

“Thawne,” she cut in, with a well conditioned response. 

“Ms. Thawne,” Conner corrected, “Bart is going to need that vaccine. I know that he’s not five yet, but still...”

“He’s already immune.” 

Conner narrowed his eyes at her. 

“Bart come here,” he commanded.

Bart raced over, giving Conner a large smile. Held tightly against his chest was a large stack of books and loose papers. His pockets were brimming with what was probably every pen, coin, and paper clip ever misplaced within the walls.

Conner gave her a disappointed look. But Meloni didn’t pay it any mind. Instead she spoke to her son.

“He’s not Reach.”

At that statement Bart dropped the smile. Faster than she could follow he had found a place on the floor. Spread out all the books around in, so that he could speed from page to page, book to book. Sketching or constructing replicas of every image that caught his fancy.

Meloni looked over to Conner smirking, but Conner was not paying any attention to her. Instead he was looking at a tattered spiral bound notebook, and gingerly picking it up from it’s position on the floor. 

“Hey,” Bart called already pouting, “Scavenger rights, that’s mine.”

Perhaps scavenger rights wasn’t the best explanation that she could have given her son about why it was alright to take food during their trip here.

“And now he found it,” she answered easily, “so it’s his now isn’t it.”

“But that one has your weird letters and numbers,” Bart pouted. But with one final look from his mother he went back to flipping through the numerous other books he had found.

With her son now occupied, Meloni directed her attention back to Conner, who was still gently holding the notebook.

“He’s just curious, perhaps he could look at it?” She asked, “He is not going to hurt it.”

“I’m sure he won’t but...” 

Conner fell silent. He squeezed his eyes shut as he ran his thumb gingerly down the spine, slowly jumping from one metal ring to the next. Finally he spoke again.

“It’s just this book was his. It was Blue Beetle’s.”

Meloni’s eyes narrowed instantly, “That mon...”

“Don’t say it,” Conner cut her off firmly.

Meloni turned on Conner, “that thing killed my husband, and Dr. Reyes and hundreds or thousands of other good people, how can you...”

“That journal wasn’t his,” Conner said almost spitting out the lost word.

He then closed his eyes and continued softly, “it belonged to Jaime.”

Meloni’s anger fell away, “what?”

“Doctor Jaime Reyes was the Blue Beetle,” Conner explained, “not that he was a doctor then. He was just a kid, fifteen I think. And he only wore the armor for about eight months. But still he was damn good Blue Beetle.”

“What happened?” Meloni asked softly.

“Like I said, he was a damn good Blue Beetle,” Conner answered with a sigh, “who, by kindness and strength of moral character, turned the AI in the scarab against the Reach. So they captured him with...”

Conner fell silent for a moment with a pained expression before continuing softly, “with too much collateral damage... And ripped the scarab off of his spine.”

“Is that why?” Meloni asked awkwardly while gesturing towards her legs.

“Yeah,” Conner said nodding, “he said that the Scarab held on just a little too long. That it wanted to dump as much data into his head as it could, from both its memory banks and the Reach ship itself.”

“That’s what that journal is,” he continued, running his finger gently along the well worn pages, “in the hospital after his rescue. Jaime just spent hours every day, trying to get all the information the scarab had left him onto paper before he forgot it. The magic ritual that gave the scarab free will, the inner workings of the Reach’s mode-ing drugs and other stuff.”

Meloni perked up, “could you do it again? That ritual?”

“We did,” Conner said firmly, “but it didn’t work. And we lost... nevermind.”

“Oh,” Meloni said softly, “but he did find a flaw in the Reach’s drug, right?”

“Actually,” Conner said with a small grin, “Karen did that. Jaime pushed himself through Med School so he could figure out how to get it to everyone.”

“And it took them less than ten years to figure everything out,” Meloni said with a low whistle, “that is impressive.”

“Actually it took them almost fifteen,” Conner said with a shrug, “but still impressive”

“But how did he save anyone then?” Meloni asked, “I thought after ten years of steady Reach dosing his drugs wouldn’t work.”

“That’s because of Lex Luthor,” Conner said slowly.

“Who?”

“He was my...he brought...” 

Conner stopped, took a breath and tried again. 

“He sabotaged the Reach’s plan for years, taking their additive out of the food right under their nonexistent noses. And when they found out, he was savagely murdered for sport and then forgotten just like...”

“Dr. Reyes?” Meloni asked softly, “we won’t forget him, there are plenty of heroes whose stories are told, even among the moded.”

Conner scoffed. “None of those stories make the Reach look incompetent. All they show is the power of the Reach. Anything that makes them look weak, is purged from the history books, any knowledge that they think could challenge them is wiped out.”

Meloni’s gut reaction was to argue. But she didn’t. Because she did remember showing up to her dissertation only to find her school closed, and her professors happily working in the factories. Or just gone. If Don hadn’t gotten her out of there before the Reach agents patrolling the campus saw her... She could understand.

So instead of arguing, she spoke softly to Conner.

“He wouldn’t mind being forgotten, I don’t think, if it meant he helped people and made a difference.”

“Of course he wouldn’t,” Conner said pained, “but I do mind. My friends are dying under the Reach. But this damn atmosphere. I can’t do anything. When I die I’ll be remembered, because I won’t have made a difference.”

Meloni gently touched Conner’s wrist. 

“You made a difference for Don.”

“And now he’s dead.”

“His son’s not.”

Conner fell silent, and looked back to where Bart was sitting surrounded by books and his own art.

“No, he’s not,” Conner finally said.

He took a breath and handed the notebook to Meloni. She watched as he slowly made his way over to Bart. As he got close Conner knelt down and asked her son about the different pieces of art scattered about the floor. Bart lit up talking at a speed Meloni couldn't quite follow, but Conner didn’t seem to have any problem with. 

She didn’t want to interrupt, this seemed to her to be good for both of them. So instead she flipped through the notebook in her hand. She could see why Bart wanted it, the numbers, the greek letters, he loved them in her own work, and this was similar.

Very similar.

She was absorbed as she flipped through the pages. If these numbers were what she thought they were. If this information was accurate. It could prove. More than prove it could be practical. It...

She hurried over to Conner, who had Bart hoisted up on his shoulders.

“You know,” she said distracting them from their game, “you never asked why I kept my last name.”

“Your papers.” Bart answered quickly, proud to know something that Conner didn’t.

She smiled at her son.

“Exactly. My published papers, leading up to a dissertation that I never got to give.”

“Why,” Conner started asking before he saw the notebook in her hands, “what did you study.”

“Spacial physics. Particularly my research was on the potential chronal effect of near instantaneous transport using interdimensional space.”

“Zeta beam tech?” Conner asked, and when she nodded he continued, “I know he had some weird diagrams and numbers about that in there. But it’s not like being able to Zeta onto the Reach ship would help us. Even with his detailed drawing of the strengths of Reach ships, we have never figured out an effective way to sabotage them.”

But Meloni was still smiling, “You don’t need to sabotage them. If I’m right these notes could give me all the information I need to be able to launch a sneak attack.”

Conner frowned, “We no longer have the people.”

“But once, you did. And that is when we could launch this sneak attack”.

“When...” Conner pauses, “Time machine?”

“I’m ok with being forgotten if it means that I made a difference, are you?”

“Yes I am.”

***

“Hey Bart, can you look at this for Mommie?”

Bart rushed to her lap and stared at the plans in from of him. She felt a little bad at using her son’s eidetic memory like a USB backup, but he seemed to enjoy being helpful and loved drawing. 

Besides she was so close. The layout and properties of Reach ships gave her a template of parts that she could use. The interdimensional information told the conditions that they would have to navigate through, and her own papers gave her the theories of how to use the time dilation there to their advantage. She just had some final issues to work out. Some causality problems to overcome. But in just six months she had gotten so much done.

Her work here didn’t stop Conner from playing his part in the distribution of the vaccines. Every so often others would stop by. Some she knew, like Dr. Beecher to whom Conner gave the notebook, and copies of Meloni’s ongoing research. Some she met, like Armistad who worked with Conner on technology that would keep the vaccine vials unbroken no matter what kinetic energy they encountered during transport. And some she only saw, like the silent woman with dark hair who would slip in during the night and leave detailed drawings of Reach troop movements. 

“Done,” Bart started pushing his head back against her, “can I go now?”

Meloni smiled. “Just answer one question first.”

And before she got it out, Bart sped through the answer.

“Obey with a smile but never stop fighting.”

She ruffled his hair.

“Alright, you can go.”

He was gone before she could blink, racing up to the loft and his ‘scavenged’ markers and food that he kept hidden there.

Conner looked at her from across the warehouse, smiling.

“Kids...” Conner started and then stopped, “did you hear that?”

Less than a second passed before his face fell and he told her, “Run,” in a harsh whisper.

Meloni didn’t question him, turning towards the stairs. But before she could get up to the loft and and son the roof crashed in.

She bit back a scream when she saw Blue Beetle land between her and Bart. The next thing she knew, she was pinned to the wall by a staple around her chest.

She could only watch as Conner lunged at the Beetle, and was simply shrugged off.

Then the Beetle decided it was his turn, transforming his arm into a weapon and firing it at Conner. The blow glanced off of Conner sending him staggering backwards. 

Conner balled his fists, snarling at Blue Beetle. Then, he looked at the loft and back at Meloni. And when he saw Blue Beetle begin to turn toward the loft, Conner frowned, shook his head and changed tactics.

“Come on Tommy. Fight it,” Conner said stiffly.

Meloni didn’t think that sort of appeal would work, and judging from Conner’s voice neither did he. However, even she could tell that the next punch from Blue Beetle was slower. Not to mention the fact that he had put his weapons away.

Conner must have seen it too since his eyes went wide and the next time he spoke it sounded much more sincere.

“Tommy, you don't have to be a slave of the Reach.”

Blue Beetle took another swing at Conner. But it was slow and jerky. Conner didn’t even have to dodge it. He just reached up and put his hands on Beetle’s shoulders. And despite the lights currently dancing along the scarab’s antennae, Meloni felt herself beginning to hope that this could work.

“We can help you,” Conner pushed, “you just need to fight their control.”

Blue Beetle’s face plate pulled back revealing a pale man with short cropped light blond hair and several studs in each ear. His eyes were open wide and he seemed to be panting for air.

“Super...” he mumbled towards Conner, his southern accent much more pronounced now that his head was free of the armor.

Conner leaned forwards, and Tommy’s entire demeanor changed. The scarred look was replaced with a sinister grin as he leaned forward and finished the name.

“...brat”

Tommy pulled back and Conner fell forward, his arm wrapped over his stomach.

And with a flick Tommy shook off Conner’s blood from his bladed hand. And he laughed when the sword turned back into fingers.

“You should have seen your face,” he said grabbing Conner’s chin.

“Tommy,” Conner gasped out, “don’t you see they’re using you.”

“No,” he drawled, pushing Conner to the ground, “they’re using you. They’re using the rest of the meat on this pathetic planet. But not me, I’m not a Reach slave I’m a Reach warrior. And even though your little witch broke the scarab again, I’m still loyal.”

Conner pushed himself back to his feet, breathlessly asking, “why?”

“Power, respect,” Tommy answered easily, slamming his fist into Conner’s chest, “revenge, I’ve got it all, Meat.”

Meloni turned away from the blows. Her eyes met Bart’s. He was still at the top of the stairs, eyes opened wide. She jerked her head, trying to tell Bart to run without revealing him to Blue Beetle. But Bart didn’t get the message.

“It’s just too bad the Reach dosed the atmosphere with Kryptonite radiation,” Blue Beetle’s harsh voice drew her attention back to the fight, or beating, “this just ain’t as fun now.”

Tommy then slammed Conner onto the floor. He knelt beside his head and whispered, “but don’t worry,  _ you  _ didn’t do anything to really set back the Reach like the traitor Lex or that pathetic Reyes.”

He stood with a laugh, and brutally kicked Conner.

“So people get to remember your name, and how I killed you,” Tommy taunted, punctuating each word with an equally devastating kick.

“Just like Dick and Tim and those annoying Allen twins...” He continued, still kicking and making his way around Conner’s unmoving body.

The more Tommy moved, the closer he came to facing Bart, who still was frozen at his spot at the top of the stairs. So Meloni made a choice and shouted at the Blue Beetle, bringing his attention to her.

“You’re wrong. They made a difference, because they had the courage to fight back.”

Beetle stalked over to her and glared at her straight in the eye, “And then they died. Do we say a bird makes a difference just because it swoops at a hunter. No. The only difference a bird can make is by giving it’s meat. Surely Missy, you know this by now.”

Tommy froze, “But why would a meek little bird swoop at the hunter, unless it was as a distraction?”

Beetle spun away from her and swiftly grabbed Conner by the neck. Conner hadn’t moved and Tommy only held him for a second before slinging his body on top of her research.

“You rancid meat,” He hissed at Meloni, “you made me miss his death. I’m going to make you pay for that...”

Meloni closed her eyes and prepared for his attack. And while she did hear the sound of flesh slamming into metal at high speeds she didn’t feel anything, except a breeze.

Meloni’s eyes snapped open and she saw Bart on the ground at Blue Beetle’s feet.

“No Baby no,” Meloni cried, and when Blue Beetle picked Bart up she turned her attention back to Tommy, “please let him go.”

He responded with a wicked grin, saying, “but we must get rid of spoiled meat.”

She saw his hand flex and his muscles and fingers strain around Bart’s little body. But Bart didn’t even whimper.

“But he’s not spoiled,” Meloni said frantically, her voice quivering, “he’s not. He’s too young to get the vaccine. Please. he’s not.”

Blue Beetle just grinned, “better safe than sorry.”

And since he was looking at Meloni, he didn’t notice that the only reaction from Bart was a confused glance.

“I wonder how long he can hold out...” Beetle started but was cut off by the squeak of the warehouse door opening.

“Ah Infiltrator there you are,” the Reach Ambassador said calmly as he stepped over still burning rubble.

“Ambassador,” Blue Beetle replied, standing up straight to hide his own nerves.

The Ambassador frowned and looked around the destruction, before asking sharply, “and what do we have here?”

“Just getting rid of spoiled meat,” Beetle answered quickly.

“Nonsense,” the Ambassador replied sharply, “that one is too young to be spoiled.”

“Apologies,” Beetle said softly, dropping Bart into the Ambassador’s hands.

Bart was fine, he didn’t seem to have a scratch or bruise on him. Meloni caught his eye and gave a shallow, shaking smile. Bart returned a small smile as well before plastering on his large and well-practiced fake smile.

“And he has a meta-gene too, we always need more of those in our armies and workforce,” the Ambassador noted, turning his attention away from the Reach tech on his wrist, and towards Meloni, “you, Meat, what is his power?”

“Speed, he’s fast,” Meloni answered, her voice shaking. But she knew if she could get them to need him, or want him, her boy might be able to survive this encounter.

The Ambassador nodded absently, “I see and what is its name?”

“Bart. Bartholomew Henry Allen, after his grandfather,” Meloni answered.

She emphasized the word grandfather. And she hoped that the temptation of having a boy they could control who was related to Barry Allen would prove enough. She needed them to want him, to think that he could be theirs. And that, combined with Dr. Reyes’s vaccine would give him the chance at a free life.

“Ah yes, the Flash, that accident with Neutron was quite unfortunate,” The Ambassador replied in a tone that suggested that he did not believe it to be unfortunate or an accident.

“Yes,” Meloni responded weakly.

“Wonderful,” the Ambassador said with a smile, “I know just the place for you. You can live at Belle Reve, with Neutron. We need him alive to figure out how he crashed his mode. But he won’t obey us. However you will. And he won’t do anything to hurt the grandson of the man he killed.”

The Ambassador adjusted his grip on Bart and walked out of the warehouse. As he left Meloni could see Bart looking at her from over his shoulder. He had started to cry, but he still kept his fake smile firmly in place. Meloni smiled at him, even though she was crying too. And as he was carried away she mouthed the words ‘be strong’.

And she was thankful that it was not until they were fully out of sight that the Ambassador called back to the Blue Beetle.

“Be sure to dispose of the spoiled meat.”

Blue Beetle’s grin came back as he responded, “I obey.”

He then moved towards Meloni, transforming the armor into nasty looking weapons.

“This will be fun payback.”

But he never got his payback. Meloni’s world went dark before she ever felt a thing.


End file.
